Epidemiological review of confirmed Lassa fever cases during 2016–2018, in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Lassa fever (LF) is endemic in West Africa and constitutes a significant public health concern due to its potential for epidemics and associated high mortality. The first reported case and management of Lassa fever in Plateau State occurred more than 50 years ago. We set out to undertake a three-year epidemiological review of LF cases in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. This is a retrospective study of all confirmed LF cases in Plateau State between 2016 and 2018. Plateau state Lassa fever- Line list and patient case records were used to extract relevant data. Lassa PCR was carried out at the NCDC accredited Laboratory network. Data analysis was done using STATA version SE14.1. Forty-four persons (44) had confirmed LF over the examined period, 18 (41%) in 2016, 15 (34%) in 2017 and 11 (25%) in 2018. The mean age was 29.7±14.6 years and 53% were males. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the patients resided in rural areas. It affected all local government areas (LGA) in the state except Pankshin, Jos East and Kanke LGAs. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the cases occurred among underprivileged communities of Jos North and another 25% in rural dwellers of Langtang North. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of cases occurred during the 1st quarter, 27% the 2nd quarter and 18% the 3rd quarter of the year. The case fatality rate was 57%. LF is endemic in Plateau State. Prevention strategies must be sustained year round and target the youth, urban and rural underprivileged communities. There is also need for case management improvement to reduce mortality.

Lassa fever outbreaks, mathematical models, and disease parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Past papers have shown that these lineage regions are distinct due to different physical environmental barriers such as the Niger and Benue rivers restricting the movement of the reservoir populations (11,12). Gomerep et al have also suggested that differences in apparent severity by lineage region may also be attributable to variable health-seeking behaviours by area (44). Published estimates of LASV evolutionary rates are low and Klitting et al have also shown slow rates of LASV circulation with a weighted lineage dispersal velocity between 0.8 and 1.0 km/year (35) We only found 5 estimates of the incubation period which reflects the challenges in attributing likely exposure times due to the complex transmission dynamics and the multiple potential routes of infection.…”

Ecological Correlates and Predictors of Lassa Fever Incidence in Ondo State, Nigeria 2017 - 2021: An Emerging Urban Trend

“…During the study period, there has been a notable increase in con rmed LF cases in Ondo State, Nigeria. The reasons for this surge in LF cases are multifaceted and complex, including factors such as poor (12,13,14,15). Housing characteristics and domestic practices also in uence rodent density, potentially affecting LF transmission to humans [30].…”

“…Poor sanitation and waste management practices can serve as breeding grounds for rodents, increasing the risk of human exposure [9,10,11]. Social and cultural factors, such as traditional food storage practices and communal living arrangements, may also contribute to the clustering of cases in certain areas [12,13,14,15]. Limited access to healthcare services and delays in diagnosis and treatment can worsen the impact of the disease.…”

“…Urban indicators, including the number of buildings, population size, presence of markets, proximity to markets, nighttime light intensity (NTL), road length, and lower vegetation (NDVI), are closely linked to higher incidents of LF across wards [8,33,34,35,36]. These highlight LF as a growing urban health concern in Ondo State [12]. Redding et al (2021) similarly found a positive association between LF and urbanisation, speci cally measured by built-up areas, which may impact human-rodent interactions [19].…”

“…Other factors are the consumption of infected rodents, inappropriate practices such as unhygienic waste disposal and poor environmental sanitation [9,10,11]. It has been reported that the burden of LF is more associated with the rural areas owing to the preponderance of associated risk factors in these settings, some of which include cultural practices (hunting, processing and consumption of rodents as protein source, and drying of food items by the roadside) and poverty [12,13,14,15]. However, recent studies have reported a probable shift in LF occurrence from rural to main urban or urban slum settings [12].…”